The Greatest Treasure
by Xword
Summary: When a mysterious request from Princess Celestia leads to a puzzling trail of clues, riddles and mystery, will Twilight and her Friends be capable of solving the puzzles of the Seramon and save equestria from danger?
1. Chapter 1: Knowledge is power

**Hello Guys. My Name is Xword, and I'm fairly new to Fanfiction. This is going to be my first Fanfiction and I would really appreciate any support that you guys could give me. If I make any mistakes, feel free to correct me as long as you're polite. I hope to have fun writing these stories, and I hope you guys have fun reading them. Also, I should mention that I'm using the Pre-alicorn Twilight as there are a lot more opportunities.**

**I do not in any way claim ownership to any characters, except Zakaz. They are property of Hasbro.**

"_The reclusive Seramon are known to live high in the far off mountains, where it's believed they practice magic in solitude"_

Twilight looked up at her friends with a sigh. "There's almost no Information on these Seramon. Everything is just guesses and speculation, with no hard evidence." She sighed again, before placing the book on a precariously teetering stack of books. She was in the Canterlot library with her friends. Surrounding them were rows upon rows of bookcases, filled with books, scrolls and parchments on all subjects except, it seemed, Seramon.

"Don't worry Twilight. We'll find out something." Rarity answered, looking at her fellow unicorn. "Do you know why Princess Celestia asked you to research them?"

Twilight shook her head. "No, she only asked that we find out about them, but there's nothing!" She replied, standing up and walking over to another bookcase. Above her, Rainbow dash and Fluttershy were inspecting the higher shelves of the bookcases. Meanwhile, Applejack and Pinkie Pie were busy reading books about farming and balloons.

"Remind me again, what am I looking for?" Rainbow Dash asked. Twilight shot her a glance.

"For the fourth time, we are looking for anything on Sermon" She said with yet another sigh, before turning her attention to another book. She soon tossed it aside. There was a crash as the book smacked into the pile of books. It swayed slightly, then stopped. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief.

There was a sudden crash as the entire tower of books fell and collided with a bookcase, knocking it over. The bookcase knocked into its neighbour, which in turn knocked over the next bookcase. Down they fell, like dominos, until none stood standing. Books were scattered around and pages were settling around the six ponies like Twilight's eye twitched.

"Keep calm, it's only going to take us hours to clean up this mess…" She whispered, before a book on top of the mess caught her eye. It was old, with golden lettering on the front. Inset in the cover of the book was a large green gem. The title read 'The book of infinite Knowledge'. Twilight opened it up, and a note fell from between the pages. She picked it up and read it aloud.

Dear Celestia

As you have entrusted me with the safety of one of your greatest treasure, it seems fitting that I entrust you with one of ours. This is the Book of infinite knowledge. Within its pages lie the answers to all mysteries of equestrian and beyond. However, it will not reveal its contents to anybody who wishes to use that information for ill. It will only show the basest of knowledge to those who wish to use it for good.

I hope that both our treasures remain safe until the right time.

Shroud.

Twilight smiled. She opened the book, and found its pages filled with information. She placed the book on a table, and the six gathered around the book.

Seramon

The Seramon are a reclusive and ancient civilisation, dating back as far as time. They are considered by many to be fictional, a way of explaining the unexplainable. As a result, very few people know any truths about them, and fewer still have ever met one.

The average Seramon is around the same size as a pony. They resemble large hounds, with long, thin, flexible tails. They are covered in sleek dark fur with markings, similar to cutie marks in that each one is unique and represents a specific skill the individual has. Seramon are also very skilled in illusions and stealth. The Seramon also possess a large amount of ancient and powerful artefacts.

Twilight closed the book. She smiled, and said "I think we've found the book."

**So, that's all for now. Rate and Review if you want to, and if you have any suggestions or requests. I've been Xword, and keep watch for the next chapters. Peace.**


	2. Chapter 2: A strange encounter

**Hello there people. I'm Xword, and this is the second chapter. As always hope you like it and I do not claim to own any of the characters, except for Zakaz.**

Twilight Sparkle charged outside and promptly fell in a hole. Her friends soon followed suit.

"Whoops, sorry. Here, I'll help you out." Came a voice. There was the sound of wood hitting wood as a rope ladder dropped down into the hole. As they climbed up, a young unicorn stallion came into view.

He was dark grey, with green eyes and a black mane and tail. His Cutie mark depicted a green light bulb with a question mark filament. He held out a dirty hoof and pulled them each out of the hole.

"Sorry again. My name is Zakaz Faron, what're your names?" He asked.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle. This is Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. Why were you digging a hole in the middle of the road?" Twilight answered. The stallion looked into the hole.

"I'm not entirely sure. It seemed like a good idea at the time." He said. He nodded towards the bottom of the hole. "I'll fill this in when I've got the time." He said, before turning back to the group. "So, where're you headed?"

"We are going to visit the princess. Royal business." Rarity answered. The group turned and began to walk towards the castle. Zakaz ran in front and began to walk backwards.

"Can I come?" He asked.

"Didn'cha hear? Royal business." Applejack answered.

Zakaz nodded. "I heard you. So, can I come?" He asked again.

Twilight sighed.

"Alright, you can come. Just stop doing that." She said.

"Doing what?"

"The walking backwards thing."

Zakaz looked down. "What about it?"

Twilight followed his gaze. "Stop doing it. You'll trip or bump into something." She said. He turned around, and walked between Rarity and Rainbow Dash. His horn began to glow, along with his eyes as he spoke in a strange, monotonous voice.

"_On the shortest night of the longest day_

_A great shadow will become unbound_

_As a broken mirror releases the fear_

_And sweeps across the land"_

Twilight stopped suddenly. She looked at Zakaz with a strange expression. "What did you just say?" Zakaz repeated his poem, only in his regular voice.

Twilight turned and continued walking. For a moment, nobody followed her, then they began walking next to her again. Rainbow got in close to Twilight and whispered to her. "I don't trust this guy"

"He is a bit strange, I'll admit." Twilight whispered back. Rainbow nodded, then replied.

"I think he's keeping secrets."

Meanwhile, Rarity had struck up conversation with Zakaz.

"How do you stand having such dirty hooves?" She asked him, glancing disdainfully at them. He looked down at them as well.

"I'll clean them soon. What's wrong with a little dirt anyway?" He replied. Rarity shook her head.

"It's just so… dirty."

"It's called dirt for a reason." He countered, before crashing headfirst into the castle doors.

"We're here." Twilight said, opening the door. The group walked in. Zakaz followed.

"She said I'd bump into something if I walked backwards…" He mumbled.

**So, we're at the end of another Chapter. Thanks for reading. Rate and review, favourite and follow if you want, and I'll see you again soon. I've been Xword. Peace out!**


	3. Chapter 3: Thinking outside the box

**Hello again, I'm Xword and this is a new chapter of the greatest treasure. As always, have fun reading and I do not claim to own any character except Zakaz.**

Twilight walked into the castle slowly, before stopping. A strange purple mist filled the building. She looked around, but the fog made it impossible to see anything. Rainbow dash came in after her, and whistled, looking around.

"This doesn't look like any fog I've seen before." She claimed. She reached out to touch it, before Rarity stopped her.

"We shouldn't mess with it until we know what it is." The unicorn advised.

Zakaz stepped forward, looking into the mist. He closed his eyes and concentrated carefully. There was a pause, as if the world had held its breath, then a small gap opened in the fog. It grew wider and wider, until it was large enough for a carriage.

Rainbow Dash shot Twilight a look and tapped her head. Meanwhile, Applejack stepped into the gap.

"C'mon e'erypony. Let's go!" She said, before continuing through the parting. Her friends followed nervously behind her, the smog filling them with a sense of dread.

They walked quickly, and quietly. The fog seemed to suck in any light and sound, leaving them in lonely darkness. A few times, Fluttershy flinched as she imagined shapes in the darkness. Even Rainbow Dash held back slightly, the only pony powering on being Applejack.

After what seemed like hours, they emerged on the other side of the fog, in an unfamiliar room. It was barely decorated, with only a few chairs and a painting hanging on the wall. Twilight looked at the painting closely.

"There's something strange about this painting, I just think what…" She said, thoughtfully.

"Uh, Miss Sparkle?" Zakaz said in a nervous voice. He was looking at the fog, which was fading away into nothing, leaving only a completely blank stone wall. It was then that the group realised, the room had no doors or windows.

"This shouldn't be possible." Rarity said, looking around for any openings. Her friends did the same, but to no avail. They were all completely trapped. Twilight sat down.

"We can't be trapped. There has to be a way out of this room, but how?" She asked to nobody in particular. The others shrugged, and the all sat down next to her.

Zakaz stood up suddenly. The others looked at him with questioning expressions.

"What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked him. He blinked a few times, then spoke.

"I know a way out of here. Quick, somebody rub my side really hard." He said quickly. Nobody moved. "Quickly!" Zakaz shouted.

Pinkie pie stood up and rubbed a hoof against his back a few times, until the skin was red and raw. For a moment nothing happened, then there was a blinding light. It hurt to look at, but soon faded. In the centre of the room was a hacksaw. Zakaz quickly picked it up and began to cut a chair in two.

Rainbow whispered to the others while he was busy.

"He just keeps getting stranger and stranger." She said. The others nodded.

"He's definitely unlike anybody we've ever met." Rarity added. There was a yell from the grey unicorn.

They turned to find him standing between the two pieces of the wooden chair. He picked them up, and placed them together again. There was another blinding light, and another blinding light filled the room. When it faded, a circular hole had appeared in the wall.

"How did you do that?" Twilight asked in amazement. Zakaz Shrugged.

"It was a riddle. Rub my side until its SAW, then cut the chair in two. Two halves make a HOLE." He said, stepping through the hole. The other followed him, but stopped when they realised where they were.

**Once again, we reach the end of another chapter. I got a little bored, so this'll be the second upload in two days. Hope you had fun reading it. Rate and reviews, Favourite and follow if you want. I've been Xword, Peace out!**


	4. Chapter 4: The legend of the DawnFlower

**Hey Guys, I'm Xword. Let's get this new chapter up and rolling. As always, I do not claim to own any characters except Zakaz. Have fun!**

Applejack looked over the edge of the cliff. "Where the hay are we?" She asked, her voice barely heard over the rushing wind. Twilight looked around them. They appeared to be on the side of a large mountain. There was snow on the ground and no sign of anybody except the seven of them.

"I'm not sure. Rainbow, fly up and see if you can find any landmarks." She suggested. Rainbow Dash nodded, and shot up. Twilight then turned to Zakaz, who was back inside the room and looking at the painting. She joined him.

"So, where're you from?" She asked him. He didn't reply.

"I said, where are you…" She began, before he interrupted her. He pointed at the book.

"See the book?" He asked her. She replied with the affirmative. He the pointed at the painting, specifically the artist's name. "The same person's writing style." He said. Twilight compared the two, finding he was right.

At that moment, Fluttershy came through the hole. "Uh, Twilight? Rainbow dash said she saw a village in the distance." She said. Twilight took the painting out of the frame and rolled it up, then stepped outside.

Snow was falling steadily now, covering up their tracks with a fresh layer. The group began a slow descent down the mountain. About halfway down, Pinkie pie spoke up.

"Has anybody else got a weird feeling?" She asked. They shook their heads.

"You sure it isn't your pinkie sense?" Twilight asked, covering her head. Pinkie shook hers.

"No, it's not a body feeling, it's a feeling feeling. Like we're being watched."

Twilight sighed. "Alright, let's stop here and shelter in this cave."

Soon, they had a fire roaring in the mouth of the cave. The weather had kicked into a full blown snowstorm making it impossible to see more than a few feet.

"I'm cold." Rarity declared, her teeth chattering. She moved closer to the fire. Everybody was sat, with gloomy expressions on their faces. Except Pinkie, who was making shadow puppets on the wall.

"So, anypony got any good stories?" Applejack asked. Nobody answered for a moment, then Zakaz spoke up.

"It's not much of a story, more of a legend." He said.

"_A long time ago, in the times before nightmare moon was imprisoned in the moon, there was a young farm boy, who helped his mother and father grow Dawnflower, a rare and magical plant that only grows at the break of dawn. He wasn't very strong, but he was a thinker. He was always thinking up new ways to solve problems. He saw things nopony else saw, and shared his findings with everyone he knew"_

"_One day, Princess Celestia came to visit the farm. She watched the ponies work hard to grown their crops, and even helped them with her magic. However, that night, a terrible storm raged through the valley. Many crops were damaged, crops that could have been used for food. The ponies were devastated at the destruction caused by the weather."_

"_The young farm boy, however, said nothing as he walked into the field. There, in the centre of the field, was a single tiny flower. It had somehow survived the rain and the wind. As he watched, the last seed of the Dawnflower fell from the plant. He picked it up, and carried it over to a tiny flower pot. He planted the seed, then gave the Princess the flowerpot"_

"_When asked why, he replied 'Plants need light to grow, so I gave it to the sun'. And he stood by his idea to the very end. That little seed is still alive somewhere. It may be stunted or it may have shot into the sky, but it's still alive. And one day, when the storms come again, it will flower."_

Zakaz finished. He looked around at the six others, who had fallen asleep to his story. He sat still for a moment, before throwing another stick on the dying fire. He looked outside, at the swirling snow and whispered to himself.

"On the shortest night of the longest day

A great shadow will become unbound

As a broken mirror releases the fear

And sweeps across the land"

**So, that's another chapter done. I'm going through them like a hot knife through butter. Rate and review, follow and favourite if you want, and don't forget that you can ask any questions of offer suggestions. I've been Xword, Peace out!**


	5. Chapter 5: Cracks in the earth

**Hello once again. I'm Xword, and this is my next chapter. As always, I do not claim to own any characters except Zakaz. Anyway, on with the story. Have fun!**

Twilight woke up. She looked around her, blurry eyed, wondering why her bed was so hard and uncomfortable. She blinked a few times, then remembered what had happened the day before. She looked at her still sleeping friends.

"Mornin'" Zakaz said quietly. Twilight looked at him. He looked exhausted, with bags under his eyes.

"Morning. How much sleep did you get last night?" Twilight asked him. He closed his eyes in thought.

"I didn't. I had to stay up to keep watch and make sure nothing bad happened while you were asleep." He replied finally. He opened his eyes again, then gestured to a small circle of leaves, each with a few berries on them. "I got some breakfast."

Pretty soon, the rest of the ponies where awakened and the food was eaten. They were soon on their way towards the village Rainbow Dash had spotted the night before. They went in single file, with Twilight in front. Then came Fluttershy, then Applejack. Pinkie came next, with Zakaz following after. Rainbow dash was behind him, and Rarity behind her.

Pretty soon, they came to a great yawning Chasm. It was too far to jump, and too deep to see the bottom. Twilight stopped.

"Alright, we need to construct a bridge." She announced to the group, and they set to work. Pinkie pie cut vines from the trees and Rarity and Twilight fashioned them into strong ropes. Applejack and Fluttershy collected some sticks to walk on. Rainbow dash was tasked with tying the ropes to the other side of the chasm.

After about an hour they had finished. Five stood at one side of the bridge. Rainbow dash and Fluttershy had opted to fly to the other side, and stood waiting anxiously. Applejack volunteered to go first.

She stepped onto the bridge, which creaked under her weight. She took a few steps forward, not daring to look down. She was about halfway when a sudden gust of wind blew the bridge, swinging it from side to side. Applejack kept her nerve, however, and she made it to the other side. Next was pinkie, who made it across without problem. Then Rarity who despite a lot of hesitation, managed to cross the gap.

"Come on twilight! Just put one hoof in front of the other!" Applejack shouted to the purple unicorn. Twilight was walking along steadily, but carefully. Once or twice, the bridge swayed violently in the wind. She was almost to the other side, when the wind blasted her.

The bridge swayed even more violently than ever, and in that moment, the book slipped out of her pack. It fell down the chasm, landing on a small ledge in the wall. Twilight yelled and shot across the bridge in fear, not noticing one of the rope snapping as she did.

Zakaz was still on the other side of the chasm, watching the broken rope dangling down. He looked down the chasm at the book, which was still resting on the ledge. He took a step onto the bridge. He took another step, then another.

There was a huge snap as the bridge swung down. Zakaz held on for dear life as it crashed against the chasm wall. On top of the bridge, Twilight went into action. She tied ropes to Applejack and Rainbow Dash, and ordered them to pull. They strained and tugged, pulling Zakaz up.

After ten minutes of exhausting pulling, Zakaz was back up the chasm. He looked down at the book again.

"You guys haven't told me the significance of that book or anything, but I'm betting it's important." He said. Twilight nodded.

"Ah reckon it's about time we told ya the whole truth sugacube." Applejack said. Zakaz nodded, then looked down at the chasm.

"After we get the book." He said.

The book was about a third of the way down the chasm. The wind was rushing through it at a rapid pace, making it impossible for Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy to collect it. To make matters worse, it was getting dark.

"Maybe we could lower a rope?" Pinkie pie suggested. Twilight shook her head.

"There's nothing around that we could use and the one we used for the bridge are too short.

"Maybe we could fly down?"

"Too windy."

Zakaz piped up. "Why don't we dig?"

Twilight looked at him. "Are you crazy? You can't dig through air!"

Zakaz shook his head. "No, I mean, dig down through the dirt on this side of the chasm, right next to the book."

"But how would you get back up?" Rarity asked him. He thought for a moment, then answered.

"Get rainbow Dash to carry me back up through the hole. It won't be windy."

Twilight went to gather some wood for the fire, while rainbow flew up and tried to find the village again. Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy all went to try and make a shelter for the night, leaving Applejack and Zakaz to dig.

"So, where're ya from Zakaz?" Applejack asked him, kicking some dirt to loosen it. The grey unicorn didn't reply for a moment.

"I'm from very far up north. My family came down here looking for a better life, you know?" Applejack nodded. Zakaz continued. "My mam disappeared when I was young, so it'd just been my dad who's brought me up. He's the only one who really understands my problem."

"What problem is that, sugacube?" Applejack asked, turning to him. Zakaz looked up at her, for once his eyes were sad.

"I, I'm not normal. I don't think like anybody else. I can't ever focus on what I'm supposed to. I wander off, I get lost. I struggle with faces and emotions. Doctors say it's a problem with my head, a lack of chemical. But they can't cure it." He said. He looked at his cutie mark.

"Want to know what my special talent is? Well, so do I." He continued bitterly, before returning to his digging. Applejack stood in silence, watching him thoughtfully. Then, she returned to her own task.

**Well, there ya go. Another little chappie for you guys to read. I really hope you're enjoying my story so far. Remember to rate and review, favourite and follow in you want. I've been Xword, Peace out!**


	6. Chapter 6: A unicorns power

**Hello again guys, gals, aliens, pets, assorted arctic inhabitants. I'm Xword, and this is the next chappie of my story. As always, I do not own any of the characters except Zakaz. Anyway, on with the story!**

"Come on Zakaz. You've been digging for hours! It's boring watching you!" Pinkie complained, her head poking over the rim of the huge hole being steadily dug by the unicorn.

"Stop watching me then." He replied in a joking tone, although his face was serious. He was staring intently at the rock, as if he could see through it.

Twilight joined Pinkie at the top of the hole.

"Pinkie's right. You should take a break, before you strain yourself." She called down. Zakaz stopped for a second, then shouted "Break over!" and continued digging. Twilight sighed, and returned to the makeshift campsite where Applejack was telling everybody about what Zakaz had told her.

"What I don't understand is, why is he helping us?" Rainbow Dash asked the group. Nobody answered.

"I guess he's just a nice guy." Twilight offered. Rainbow dash shook her head.

"Nopony is nice enough to watch over six strangers while they slept, or dig a huge hole to retrieve a book he knows nothing about. He hasn't once complained about being dragged along on this little adventure, his eyes glow weirdly and he's always talking to himself! I'm telling you guys, something's up." She concluded.

"Now hold there Rainbow." Twilight said. "Maybe you're right, and maybe he his evil. But what evidence is there? All through this little adventure we've been having, he's done stuff for us. He got us out of that hole, he got us through the fog, he got us out of the room, and he's fed us, watched over us, and is now retrieving a book for us. All he's shown us is good."

"Well, what if he planned it?" Rainbow asked the group.

"It kind of hurts that you would suggest that." Came a voice. Zakaz stepped out of the shadows, covered in dirt. He placed the book gently on a log, then sat down around the fire. Rainbow hid her face from him, but he smiled at her.

"Don't worry. I understand. It's normal to distrust strangers, especially when they don't ask for anything in return. But I assure you, I'm not evil. What would I stand to gain?" He asked her. Rainbow turned to him.

"The book?" She guessed.

"No, I don't even know what this thing is." He said, nudging it. He pointed to his eyes. "And as for my eyes, I guess I'd better explain. You see, I can use a very special type of magic, called Revealance magic."

Twilight opened the book, looking at it. She read it out loud.

_Revealance magic_

_Revealance magic is a very rare and ancient magic dating back to the times of non-magical rulers and court mages. Those who can perform this art are capable of detecting areas of positive and negative magic. This is especially useful for those practicing with powerful spells._

_Starswirl the bearded's law of magic states: For every spell there is an equal and opposite spell. This means that whenever a positive spell is cast, it increases the amount of negative magic in the area. A Very high concentration of negative magic can lead to storms, fires and eventually, unadulterated Chaos. On the other end of the spectrum, negative spells will increase the concentration of positive magic, resulting in helpful perks._

_This form of magic is very volatile, and requires careful training before it can be even attempted. Occasionally, a user will see more than just positive and negative magic._

Zakaz nodded. "That's the one." He nodded at his cutie mark. "The light bulb stands for my natural talent at Revealance magic." He added. Twilight put the book down on the log again.

"So, I'm glad that we got that out of the way." She said, before being interrupted by Rainbow dash.

"Wait, what about the fog?" She asked. Zakaz sighed.

"The fog isn't natural. It is an extremely high concentration of negative magic. I believe that's why we are no longer in the castle. However, I do not know why it took us to that strange room." He said, thinking hard. Nobody spoke, until pinkie broke the silence.

"It's over there." She said, pointing into the distance.

"How do you know?" Twilight questioned the pink pony.

"I saw it when we were on top of the mountain." Pinkie replied.

"And just when were you going to tell us?" Applejack demanded.

"I just did, duh."

Zakaz' eyes glowed for a few seconds. "I don't like the looks of this." He said. "I'm seeing some pretty extreme negative magic over the castle, and it looks like that weird purple mist has spread throughout the castle."

Twilight followed his gaze, spotting some heavy black clouds circling the castle. She could also see a purple haze covering the houses. She turned to the group.

"Anybody have any suggestions?" She asked. Rarity piped up.

"Why don't we ask those guys for some help?" She said, pointing towards a group of caravans.

**So, we've reached the end of another chapter. Be sure the rate and review, follow and favourite if you want. Remember, you can ask me any questions about the story. I've been Xword, Peace out!**


	7. Chapter 7: The only thing to fear

**Hello Readers, I'm Xword, and this is another chapter. As always, have fun and I do not claim to own any characters except for Zakaz and Torin. Anyways, on with the story.**

The group walked over to the group of caravans. A small pony with a large moustache in a red and white striped shirt approached them.

"Greetings Fellow travellers!" He said, his voice decidedly posh. "Welcome to the circus of dreams! I'm Ringmaster Torin. " He shook their hands energetically.

"Hi, I'm Twilight. These are my friends." Twilight replied, confused. Pinkie pie, however, was not.

"Circus? I want to go to the circus? Can we go Twilight? Please, please, please, please, please?" She begged her friend.

"Not now Pinkie, let twilight speak to the gentleman." Rarity answered. Twilight nodded.

"Excuse us, but do you happen to be headed towards Canterlot? Me and my friends need to get there urgently." She said. Torin nodded.

"We are indeed heading towards Canterlot my lady. Would you like to travel with us for the day?" He asked her. She nodded.

"Well then my dear, come, come. We're just having breakfast." At the sound of breakfast, their stomachs began to rumble. They followed the ringmaster to a central area. Soon, they were all set up with a plate of warm stew.

Zakaz, however, was wandering around the circus tents, peering into the caravans. The ringmaster watched him, before chuckling to himself.

"Quite the inquisitive fellow, isn't he?" He asked the group.

"Oh, he is very strange" Rainbow dash commented. Zakaz returned to the group and began to sip at some stew.

They ate in silence, until all the stew was gone. Then, they all began to talk.

"So, what is the circus of dreams?" Twilight asked Torin.

"Well, we are a circus of the most talented and unique performers in all of Equestria." He began. He motioned to a poster on the side of a caravan. It showed a strongpony, a zebra sat next to a crystal ball, a number of ponies dressed as Clowns and one very familiar blue pony.

"Is that… Trixie?" Twilight gasped.

"Sparkle." Trixie acknowledged, walking out of one of the caravans. She nodded at the group.

**(Quick Note: I suck at third person, so Trixie is going to speak in first person)**

"We haven't seen you since… yeah." Twilight said. The blue unicorn walked over to them.

"Don't worry Twilight Sparkle. It is all in the past." She said. She looked at Zakaz.

"Here is a face I've never seen before." She remarked. She shook his hand. "My name is Trixie Lulamoon."

Zakaz shook her hand. "Zakaz Faron. Pleased to meet you." He said. His eyes flashed slightly, not enough to be noticeable in the bright sunshine. He smiled.

"I see you've been practicing with fire spells." He remarked.

"I have, how did you guess?" She asked, eyes wide. He nodded at her cloak, before dowsing it.

"Your cloak was on fire."

"So, Trixie. How've you been?" Rarity asked the blue unicorn.

"Well, after we last met, I decided that travelling alone wasn't good. So, I took a leaf out of your book, and made some friends." She said, smiling. Twilight smiled back.

"Good for you Trixie." She approved.

A few hours later, and the circus was moving. Trixie had invited the entire group into her caravan. Trixie's horn lit up, as did the walls. Twilight stepped back, before Trixie shook her head.

"It's a soundproofing spell, Twilight Sparkle. You see, I'm afraid." She said.

"Afraid of what?" Rainbow dash asked her. The unicorn looked up.

"Afraid to sleep. This circus is called the circus of Dreams, but all I've had is nightmares. The same nightmare, a strange booming voice in dark shadows. I haven't mentioned it to anybody, but something's wrong. Every day we move the circus, and every night, the voice gets louder and louder." She said, her eyes dark.

"What does the voice say?" Fluttershy asked, shaking.

"The last time I heard it, it said 'do not disobey, or else' over and over again. I'm afraid Twilight Sparkle." She answered. The group looked at one another. Zakaz stood up, and walked over to a small candle. He lit it and brought it back to the group.

"Ever heard of Banishment spells?" He asked them. Twilight nodded.

"They're spells that can be used to remove things from others. Like leaves from a tree or sand from a beach." She said. Zakaz nodded.

"I'm going to try doing a scan spell, and then a banishment spell. Everybody hold hands." He asked. They did. He closed his eyes, and his horn began to glow. There was a sudden flash, and the room began to fade, leaving a white outline on a black background, like a 3d blueprint. Zakaz opened his eyes.

He looked at Trixie's hat in the corner, which had taken on a red misty hue. "Do you sleep with your hat on, Trixie?" He asked her. She nodded. "Why?"

"You guys can't see what I'm seeing, but there's something in your hat." He said. To the other ponies, they could only see his eyes had gone pitch black. There was a sudden darkening in the room as they returned to normal. He picked up the hat, and threw it on the candle, setting it alight.

Trixie shot forward to retrieve her burning hat, but Zakaz stopped her.

"I'll get you a new one, I promise. Until then, this is the best way to banish something." He said. The hat had begun to burn with a bright green flame, with red smoke. Is suddenly snapped, and disappeared, leaving the smoke to twist and turn into a solid shape. Zakaz summoned a glass case and trapped the smoke inside, which had taken on the shape of a red Armadillo.

"Hey! Let me out of her Mortal!" The Armadillo commanded him. Fluttershy, Rarity and Trixie all whimpered under its deep voice. Twilight, Zakaz, Rainbow Dash and Applejack all stood their ground. Zakaz shook the case, sending the armadillo tumbling.

"Stop, stop, you're going to make me sick!" It said. Zakaz stopped, before staring the creature directly in the eye.

"Tell us what you've been doing to Trixie" He said, threateningly, flames visible in his eyes. The creature shook in fear.

"I was told by Lord Shroud to spread fear throughout Equestria." He said, in a small voice. There was the sound of pages turning, as the book fell out of Twilight's pack. It hit the ground and opened up, before settling on a page. Zakaz picked it up and read the information out loud.

_Lord Shroud_

_Lord Shroud is the current leader of the Seramon…_

The book ended there, a few green stains being the only other thing on the page. Twilight looked at the small armadillo, who was still shaking.

"Who is Lord Shroud?" She asked him. He raised his voice, which without the aid of his magic, was quiet and squeaky.

"He is the soon to be ruler of all Equestria!" He shouted.

**So, there we have it. Another thread is added to this web of mystery. Hope you guys have had fun. Remember to rate and review, favourite and follow if you want. You can leave any questions or suggestions as well. I've been Xword, Peace out!**


	8. Chapter 8: Is fear itself

**Hello again guys. I'm Xword, and this is another little chappie. As always, I do not in any way claim ownership to any characters in this story, except Torin and Zakaz. Anyway, have fun.**

"Why did you put him in the box?" Twilight asked Zakaz. He picked it up and shook it around, knocking the inhabitant against the sides.

"My reasons are twofold. One, He was making a lot of noise and scaring Fluttershy. Two, I reckon he needs a bit of solitary isolation." The unicorn replied. He turned to the book.

"So, let me get this straight. Shroud is the leader of the Seramon. The Seramon are good at keeping secrets. Shroud exchanged this book for an unknown treasure. Shroud may or may not be evil." He said, running through it in his head.

"That's about the just of it." Twilight said. Rarity pulled the painting out.

"Not to mention this painting, signed by Shroud." She said. Zakaz looked at it.

"Ah yes, the mysterious painting. I've been searching it for a clue, but I haven't found anything." He said. Pinkie pie looked over his shoulder. She turned her head around, before blinking.

"There's some writing." She said. Zakaz looked at her, then turned the painting to her viewpoint. Sure enough, the brushstrokes spelled out words. He read them aloud.

"_The glass is broken. I am free."_

"What in the hay could that mean?" Applejack asked, tilting her head. Nobody answered. Zakaz put the book and the painting away, along with the box.

"I'm just going to come out and say it.

On the shortest night of the longest day

A great shadow will become unbound

As a broken mirror releases the fear

And sweeps across the land" He said, his ears down.

"It would appear, that fear is spreading."

The small demon fell into a heap as he was thrown out of the box. Zakaz placed his horn against its throat.

"Tell us all about the fear." He said, through gritted teeth. The armadillo put its hands up.

"Hey, I've got a name! It's Ezekiel." It said. Zakaz pressed harder against its throat.

"Okay Ezekiel. Tell."

"Okay, okay. Easy on that horn. Do you know about Phobos?" He asked. Twilight nodded slowly.

"He-he's the spirit of fear, who was Discord's partner. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna defeated him using the elements of harmony." She recalled.

Ezekiel nodded. "They trapped him in a mirror, which they gave to the Seramon." He continued. "But after that, I don't know." He said. Zakaz pushed slightly on his throat, then backed up.

"Good. Now, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt here. You can stay out of the box, but don't try anything funny. I can track you to anywhere you go, remember that." He said. The Armadillo nodded, then jumped on his back.

"Hey guys, we're here." Trixie yelled from outside the trailer. The group stepped outside into the bright sunshine. They were stood at the gates of Canterlot. They quickly thanked Trixie and Torin, and then stepped in.

The first thing they noticed was the absence of anyone. Everywhere they looked, nobody was to be found. The air was tinged purple, not like the mist, although it had evidently been here.

They searched the entire city for any signs of ponies. They found none. The shops, the market, the school, everywhere was devoid of any ponies. They sat down on some benches, tired out from their search.

"Where is everypony?" Twilight asked. There was no answer. She looked at all her friends. Even pinkie pie was miserable. She sighed, and put her head down.

"It's hopeless."

"Wait." Zakaz said. Twilight turned to him.

"What?"

"Do you hear that?" He asked. Sure enough, there was a tiny sound. It was like a small bell ringing. Zakaz jumped off the bench and began to follow the sound. The group shrugged and followed it as well.

The noise lead them to the library.

"Uh, oops…" Zakaz exclaimed. He was looking at the hole he had forgotten to fill out the front of the library. He looked down into it, almost falling down. At the bottom of the hole was a small puddle of water. Reflected in the pool was the moon.

Twilight looked down as well. "What's so special about the moon?" She asked the grey unicorn. He pointed to the sky.

"It's the middle of the day. Why would the moon be reflected in the puddle?" He asked rhetorically.

"I think we've found Princess Luna."

**So, we've reached the end of this chapter. Hope you guys are having fun reading this story. I'm pumping out chapters as much as I can. Remember to rate and review, favourite and follow if you want. I've been Xword, Peace out!**


	9. Chapter 9: The story comes together

**Hello guys. I'm Xword, and this is the next chapter of The Greatest Treasure. As always, I do not claim to own any Characters, except Zakaz. Anyway, on with the story. Have fun reading!**

"So, anybody have any ideas?" Twilight asked the group. They had gathered up all the water in the pool into a bucket they had 'borrowed' from a shop. They were now sat in the library with the bucket on the table. The moon was still reflected in the water.

Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie pie and Rainbow Dash were all asleep, with Zakaz, Twilight and Applejack still awake. Applejack was looking through some books for any ideas. Twilight was doing similar. Ezekiel was tasked with Ezekiel was tasked with being their temporary assistant, in place of spike, who was currently still in Ponyville. Zakaz was trying to find some inspiration.

A large black spider dropped down from the ceiling. It fell right onto the table next to the bucket. Twilight jumped back in shock.

"That's a huge spider." She said, stepping back. Zakaz walked calmly over to it and picked it up.

"It's not so big. Believe it or not, this spider could be a hero amongst spiders." He said. Twilight shook her head.

"I don't think so."

"Twilight, don't say that. Where's your imagination?"

There was a thud. They turned to see one of the books had tipped onto its side. Applejack came over with Ezekiel on her back.

"What in the hay?" She asked. Zakaz shrugged.

"Imagine?" He said. Nothing happened. He sighed. "I was hopeful for a moment there." He said.

"Don't worry Zakaz. We'll find a way." Twilight said.

"It would be amazing if all these books would put themselves away." Zakaz said, thinking. There was another thud, as the book fell over. He thought again. The book tipped onto its spine.

"Zakaz, don't stop thinking!" Twilight said excitedly. Zakaz nodded, and closed his eyes in thought. The book moved again, and again. Tipping over, it was headed towards a bookcase. Then, another book joined it. And another, and another.

Twilight looked around herself in amazement. Books from all over the floor were moving towards bookcases. They were flying up onto the shelves and bookcases. Then, a few pieces of pages torn from a book shot into it, fixing themselves to the broken spine.

The others were waking up now, to the sight of thousands of books shooting around above their heads, settling in their order. Zakaz opened his eyes, but kept his mind racing as the books travelled to their rightful places. The ponies looked at the books, their mouths open in astonishment.

Soon, the very last tomes dropped into places and the library became peaceful once more. Zakaz looked at the group, his eyes wide. Twilight nodded towards the bucket.

"Try it." She whispered.

Once again, he closed his eyes, and focussed his thoughts. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, small pieces of light began to trickle in from nowhere. They dropped one by one into the bucket, then two by two. More and more fell in, until it was almost completely full of light. Then, slowly, a piece of light emerged from their chests, and floated softly towards the bucket. Like tiny fireflies, they span around each other to the sound of a mystical orchestra. They reached the water, and with a final spin, they dropped.

Suddenly there was a huge light, which lit up the entire room. They shielded their eyes from the glare, and when they looked back, there was a familiar navy-blue alicorn standing on the table. She looked around herself, then spotted Twilight.

"Twilight sparkle, thank goodness you and your friends are alright." She said. She stepped down from the table, and walked over to the amazed ponies. "Don't worry. Everybody is safe, for now. We had to evacuate Canterlot due to the fear spreading." She continued.

"Princess Luna, what happened while we were gone?" Twilight asked her. The alicorn blinked sadly.

"Well, a long time ago, before I became nightmare moon, Me and Celestia made a treaty with the Seramon. If Discord and Phobos ever returned to their full power, we would help each other stop them. To honour our agreement, we each took one to keep watch of. We took Discord, the Seramon took Phobos."

"Now, Phobos and Discord were both very similar, but also very different. Phobos was a lot more evil than Discord, and thus a lot more powerful. It became apparent that he couldn't be easily defeated. Now, Twilight. I promised Celestia that I would never tell anybody else this information. But it appears that I must. You see Twilight Sparkle, there is one more element of Harmony. The element of courage." She said. Twilight gasped.

"Another element? But why didn't I know about this?" She asked.

"Well, you see, Phobos required all seven of the elements to be defeated, but even then, he wouldn't be truly imprisoned. It was unfortunate, as we had to sacrifice the element of Courage to keep him caged. We wove its magic into the mirror of truth and imprisoned him inside it. Luckily, Discord proved to be much less of a threat than Phobos, and required only six elements to be defeated."

"But, why isn't the seventh element mentioned in a legend?"

"Because, Phobos thrives off of fear. If people became aware of how close we came to being defeated, the sheer terror that would have been released would have shattered the mirror." Luna concluded.

"So, where is the element now?" Rainbow dash asked. The Princess shook her head.

"I do not know. It was depleted of magic by the time we had created the mirror, so we stored the element in a place forgotten by time. Only Celestia knows where it is." She replied.

"I know where it is." Zakaz said. The group turned to him.

"Remember the legend of the Dawnflower? The storm, and the seed? I think I understand it now. The storm was Phobos, and the single surviving seed was the element of Courage. When Celestia took the seed, it's said it's still somewhere, just hidden." He held up the painting, which depicted a small cottage, with 'heart' written by the door in white letters. In the sky stood the sun and the moon at opposite sides of the painting.

"Where would you find a seed? In a garden. Where would you find courage?" He said, tapping to door.

"In the heart."

**So, that's another chapter done. Hope you guys like it. Remember to rate and review, favourite and follow if you want. Hope you guys have had fun. I've been Xword, Peace out!**


	10. Chapter 10: How NOT to 'take it easy'

**Hello again there guys. I'm Xword, and this is the next chapter. I'm really bored, so I'll just keep pumping these out until I'm all out of ideas. As always, I do not claim to own any characters except Zakaz. On with the story!**

"Uh, my wings hurt!" Rainbow dash complained from the front of the carriage. She and Fluttershy were pulling it across the sky towards Ponyville. Applejack was helping them, aided by some wings that she had grown thanks to Twilight's flight spell.

"Don't worry Rainbow. We're almost there." Twilight replied. She looked at her friends. They were exhausted from their adventures. Rarity's mane was in a mess, and pinkie no longer had the energy to smile. Rainbow dash and Fluttershy were flying at half speed and Applejack was almost passing out from exhaustion. Twilight turned to look at Zakaz, who hadn't slept since they first met him. He looked shattered, his eyes bloodshot.

Eventually, they spotted the lights of Ponyville coming into view, and with one last heroic effort, the group landed in sweet apple acres. With their energy gone, they each dropped into a dreamless sleep.

Twilight woke with a start. She was in the hospital. Looking around, she spotted her friends.

"Twilight!" Yelled a voice as a familiar purple and green dragon hugged her.

"Easy spike." Twilight smiled. She noticed her friends were all waking up. At that moment, the doctor walked in.

"My, Miss Sparkle. What have you been up to? When we found you, you were extremely malnourished." He said, looking at a chart.

"We've been… uh…" She began.

"Don't exert yourselves. You've been through a lot." He said. "Anyway, you've got visitors."

Pretty soon, the room was filled with visitors. Big Macintosh, Applebloom, Granny Smith, Shining Armour, Sweetie belle, Scootaloo and Mr and Mrs Cake were amongst them. They were all fussing over the ponies, so Twilight barely noticed Zakaz sitting alone. She walked over to him.

"What's the matter?" She asked him.

"Nothing much. It's stupid, I'm just kind of jealous." He explained.

"Jealous? Of what?"

"Of your family. Nobody came to visit me." He said, his ears down. Twilight looked at him. Of all of them, he had taken the worst of the adventure. He hadn't slept, barely eaten. He helped them out at every twist and turn and didn't complain once.

"If anybody deserves a visit." Twilight thought. "It's Zakaz."

Pretty soon, they were dispatched from hospital with specific orders to 'take it easy.' They decided to head to Twilight's to form a plan. Soon, they were sat around a large wooden table, discussing ideas. Spike and Ezekiel were play fighting.

Twilight looked at a large map. "Okay, so, does anybody see anything that could be where this was painted?" She asked nobody in particular. They were all looking through maps and pictures of the world, but it seemed that there was nothing to be said about the painting. Even Zakaz was stumped.

"Okay, let's try this from a different angle." Twilight suggested. "If you were the princess, where would you hide something?" The group thought hard.

"It would have to be hidden." Applejack started.

"But clearly seen from overhead." Rainbow Dash added.

"Near a village so it won't seem strange." Rarity said.

"And so they could have parties!" Pinkie shouted in excitement.

"Near a forest, because of those trees in the background." Fluttershy murmured.

"A place hidden from time" Twilight said.

"Maybe we were close coming here." Zakaz suddenly exclaimed.

"Why'd you say that?" Twilight questioned. The unicorn was looking at a book about the Everfree forest.

"Because, all these books say the same thing. The Everfree forest is dark and scary." He said. Pinkie sniggered.

"Giggle at the ghosties."

"You NEED courage to go in there." Zakaz finished.

Twilight thought about it for a moment. "I guess you're onto something, but the Everfree forest is huge. We're would we begin to search?" She questioned. Zakaz paused for a moment in thought.

"Uh, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight turned to her. "Well, every castle needs a kingdom. So, maybe the cottage is close to the castle?" She offered. Twilight nodded.

"That kind of makes sense." She said. She stood up and walked over to a shelf. She took down a box and handed out the elements of harmony. Then, she grabbed a map of the Everfree forest.

"We're going out now?" Rainbow dash asked her.

"No time like the present." Twilight replied, opening the door.

Soon, they were ploughing steadily forwards through the forest. Twilight was reading the map, while Rainbow dash and Fluttershy kept an overhead view. Rarity and Pinkie pie were guarding the edges of the path, and Applejack and Zakaz were holding lanterns.

Twilight looked over at Zakaz. Despite being in the hospital, he was obviously still weak. His magic was darker than before, and his reactions were slow. He was wincing ever so slightly whenever he took a step, and his mane and tail were in a horrible mess. However, he soldiered onwards, even carrying the lantern in his teeth when his magic failed.

After a while, the castle came into view. It was perched on the edge of a cliff, ominously close to falling. Dotted around the bottom of the cliff were little houses, most of them were destroyed. Rainbow dash and Fluttershy re-joined the group, and they began their search.

However, after hours of searching, no cottage like the painting was found. Twilight sat on the ground.

"We've been searching for hours! Where could it be?" She asked. Nobody answered. She pulled the map out and looked at it intently. "I'm completely out of ideas. It's hopeless!" She said, throwing it aside into the darkness. The group sat around her.

Zakaz picked the map up and looked at it in the fading light of the lantern. One by one, they fell asleep. Zakaz looked at them. He smiled to himself, then walked over to them. His eyes were heavy, and as he tried harder to stay awake, he fell asleep.

**So, there we go. Another chapter up. Hope you guys like it. Remember to rate and review, favourite and follow if you want. I've been Xword, Peace out!**


	11. Chapter 11: I dreamt I was falling

**Hello again guys. It's a cloudy Sunday, so I've got nothing more to do than write. As always, I do not claim to own any characters other than Zakaz. Also, remember that you can ask me any questions you want, or offer any suggestions as long as they are clean.**

Twilight dreamt she was falling through the night sky. All around her were grey mists and darkness. Yet it was peaceful. There was no sound, just the feeling of falling. She looked around, noticing things coming out of the gloom. Chairs, books, photographs, amongst many other things.

Suddenly, a huge gust of wind caught her unaware. It blasted her sideways, narrowly missing a table that glided unaffected by the current. The wind changed, blowing her the other way. She screamed, but her voice was barely a whisper.

She looked down, noticing somehow she was now walking. All around her was darkness. She noticed a light in the distance, and as she got closer she realised it was a fountain. She stopped by it, and looked into the water.

Reflected back at her was nothing she had expected. Another pony, just like Twilight, yet unlike her. Her mane was a darker purple, and her eyes were cruel. Her hooves were black and her teeth were sharp. She regarded Twilight as if she were a trapped insect.

"Hello Twilight." She said, her voice wicked and yet soothing. "Welcome to your mind." The other pony continued.

"Who are you?" Twilight asked the reflection.

"I'm you. Or rather, the you that could be. If you give up this petty quest, I know Lord Shroud will reward you." She said, her voice twisting through the hair like a snake. Twilight shook her head.

"No, I won't give up. My friends are counting on me!" She shouted. The opposite Twilight sneered.

"Then you shall perish!" She yelled. She began to climb out of the fountain, bit by bit, until she was fully out.

The negative Twilight began to step towards her. Twilight backed up as she did, before noticing her friends where all doing the same. Each one had a reflection that was darker. They all backed up into a circle, nowhere else to go. Twilight looked at her friends in fear. They looked back, their eyes wide.

"Just give up this foolish idea and you will be spared by Lord Shroud." The Anti-twilight said. She took another step forwards.

"Twilight, what should we do?" Applejack asked her friend. The negative applejack replied for her.

"You can't do anything. Either join us, or be destroyed." The anti-applejack answered. They were trapped. The negative ponies were closing in. The group closed their eyes and awaited their destruction.

There was a sudden yelp. Twilight's eyes snapped open to see Zakaz standing in front of the group.

"If you want to destroy my friends, you'll have to go through me." He said, his eyes deadly serious. The negative ponies eyes him warily, before the opposite Fluttershy attacked him.

He dodged the attack, and caught her wing, swinging her around and around. He released her, sending her crashing into the negative Pinkie pie. He looked at the other ponies.

"Now, who wants to go next?" He asked.

Suddenly, there was a huge boom as the Negative Rainbow Dash shot towards him. He jumped over her. She turned around and shot towards him again like a cruise missile. He began to run towards her, gaining speed. They shot straight for each other. At the last moment, the negative rainbow dash swerved to avoid him, crashing into the Opposite applejack.

Zakaz looked over at the last three ponies. They had their heads down and their horns out. Zakaz copied them.

"Engarde." He said. The negative twilight slashed at him, catching his horn on the side. He parried, following the blow through to deflect the anti-rarity's attack. Zakaz countered both of them, knocking them down. He then turned to his opposite self. Back and forth, back and forth they fought.

Twilight and her friends watched the battle with open mouths. They didn't notice until it was too late that the rest of the negative ponies were back. They were caught, and thrown into a cage. Zakaz turned to see them, and at that moment he was caught in the neck, knocking him over. He tried to get back up, but the negative twilight forced him back down. She looked at the group, and her eyes flashed.

Twilight woke up, still in the cage. She recognised the surroundings as the castle she had found the elements in. Her friends where with her, and Zakaz was still on the floor nearby. His eyes were closed, and his neck was bleeding. Opposite them was a large alicorn. He was dark grey, with a long flowing black mane and tail. His eyes were pitch-black and he was wearing dark and navy armour. He grinned down at the trapped ponies with wicked teeth.

"So, the Elements of Harmony once again fail to bring me down. You weren't even close." He said, his voice deep and booming, as if the very earth were speaking to them.

"You didn't even find the seventh element, which was a shame as I would so have loved to destroy it. Oh well, I've got all I need right here?" He said. He turned, and Twilight suddenly noticed what he was looking at.

Trapped in an orb of glowing green light, was princess Celestia. She was obviously in pain, as if the magic that contained her was devouring her energy.

"Princess Celestia?" Rarity whispered. Phobos turned to her.

"There's no point in saying her name, you foolish child. She cannot hear you." He said, cackling madly.

"The whole plan is coming together nicely." He continued. He looked at a tapestry on the wall, which showed himself standing atop of Princess Celestia. "You can't stop me." He added, turning to the captive ponies.

"Now, if you'll excuse me. I've got to go to Canterlot make the final preparations for my take over." Phobos declared. He stepped through a doorway, and out of the room.

"Oh, this day couldn't get any worse!" Pinkie pie declared angrily. The other ponies nodded in agreement.

"I, I don't know what else to do." Twilight said sadly. She looked over at Zakaz.

"Poor Zakaz, he went down fighting to save us." She thought to herself.

After a few moments, they became aware of a small noise. It was faint at first, but became louder and louder by the second. It was a high-pitched screaming, accompanied by a whistling sound. There was a sudden crash, and a small red armadillo uncurled on the floor, having broken through the window.

"Wow. You're big brother sure can kick." Ezekiel declared to Applejack. Twilight smiled.

"I don't think I've ever been happier to see you, Zeke." She said. The Armadillo shrugged, then began to inspect the cage. He tapped it, listening to the sound it made.

"This thing is pretty solid. I'm not sure I can break it." He said. He looked up at the ceiling, specifically a chandelier hanging above the cage. He ran towards the tapestry on the wall and began to climb up. It was slow going, as there were few footholds, but he made it in the end. He jumped across onto a ledge, then onto the chandelier.

"Look out below!" He shouted, breaking the chain. The huge metal sphere dropped down, crashing into the cage. It bent the bars of the cage beyond breaking point, and soon, they ponies where free. Ezekiel jumped down onto Twilights back.

They looked at Princess Celestia, and broke the connection that held her trapped. She fell to the floor weakly.

"Twilight, my faithful student." She said. Twilight came closer.

"You must go to Canterlot. Stop Phobos, before it's too late. I can use my magic to transport you there, but I cannot go with you." She said. She didn't wait for an answer, as her horn began to glow. There was a slight pop, as the castle, Celestia and Zakaz all melted away into grey.

"Well guys. It's time to finish this." Twilight said. The group nodded at her.

"Let's go."

**So, I hope you guys have had fun reading so far. Remember to rate and review, favourite and follow If you like. As always, leave any questions or suggestions in a comment, and I'll answer them as soon as possible. I've been Xword, Peace out!**


	12. Chapter 12: The element of courage

**Hello guys. This is the finale for The Greatest Treasure. I hope you've had fun reading this. As always, I do not claim to own any characters except Zakaz. On with the story!**

The entire of Canterlot was broken. Buildings were on fire, there were craters in the ground. Twilight and her friends charge through the streets heading towards the main castle. They could just see the silhouette of Phobos against the sky.

As they ran, they put on the elements of harmony. They climbed up some stairs to the castle, panting as they did. They weaved in and out of Luna's guards, who were fighting all manner of horrible creatures. The passed a lemonade stand, which two soldiers where crouched behind.

The castle had fallen into disrepair. What had once been a majestic and inspiring landmark had become a crumbling stone ruin. The beautiful doors had been torn off their hinges, and the windows were smashed and smeared with dirt. The sky was cloudy, with a light rain falling.

They ran into the throne room. A huge crater was present in the centre, with Princess Luna collapsed at the bottom. Twilight stopped for a moment, giving orders to Ezekiel to guard her, and continued onwards. They came to a spiral staircase, and the group began to climb up and up, higher and higher.

They broke out onto the roof of the castle, where Phobos stood with his back to them.

"So, you escaped. Such a shame. I might have freed you, had you stayed. However, now I'm just going to have to kill you!" He shouted. He swung around, knocking the ponies off their feet with a blast of darkness.

They got back up, and began to charge the elements of harmony. The Alicorn, however, shot a blast of air, knocking Applejack back, breaking the attack. He cackled madly, before kicking out at an attacking rainbow dash. She was knocked back, falling in a heap at the edge of the roof. She tried to rise again, but her front leg was twisted badly.

Twilight shot every offensive spell she had at the Alicorn. He shrugged off the spells, before hitting her with a blast of dark energy. She fell back, but rose again, more determined than ever. Phobos just laughed, and knocked over pinkie pie with another gust of wind.

"Face it, Ponies!" You can't defeat me!" He shouted, before stamping hard on the ground. The floor cracked, sending fractures snaking between the ponies. They fell, and only four got up again, Pinkie pie having collided with a wall.

Rarity threw some diamonds at the ground, stabbing Phobos' hooves. He shook them out, and fired an energy pulse at her, hitting both her and Fluttershy. Applejack looped a lasso around his neck, but he simply pulled her into a wall, leaving only Twilight.

She stood, looking around at her friends. Rainbow dash had managed to get to Pinkie, and was pulling her out of the way. Rarity and Fluttershy were carrying the injured Applejack. She looked at the floor, which was weak and crumbling. It didn't look like it could hold much longer.

The Alicorn opposite her held his horn down, and it began to glow with black energy. It elongated, becoming a sword. He held it high above his head, and brought it down onto Twilight. She closed her eyes.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY FRIENDS!" Shouted a voice. Twilight opened her eyes to see Zakaz standing in front of her. His Horn had become a sword as well, a long green cutlass. His eyes were glowing emerald, and his mane was settling, as if he'd run there.

"I will not take orders from you!" Phobos shouted. He swung his sword, which was deflected by Zakaz. He looked at the unicorn with anger. "Stop fighting! I cannot be defeated by you! You failed when you're friends needed you the most!" He declared, slicing at Zakaz' neck.

Zakaz dodged, his eyes closed. "You're wrong, Phobos." He said. There was a slight crackling in the air, and a light glow. "You claim you are unstoppable, and that you cannot be defeated. You're wrong."

"I know you can be defeated, Phobos. Because of who I am."

"You're nobody!" Phobos screamed. "You are nowhere near my level of power!"

"Courage isn't about being brave. It isn't about being fearless." The glow was brighter now, and small orbs of flickering light were rising around Zakaz.

"Courage is about standing up to your fears, to help those around you. And guess what, Phobos."

He opened his eyes, as a helmet formed around his head, a large green gem in the centre. His horn was sticking out through a hole in the helmet.

"I'm afraid of you."

There was a huge blast of green light, as Zakaz fired. It hit Phobos, sending him shooting back into the wall. He got up, his magic flickering.

"No, I will not be defeated again!" He shouted.

Twilight looked around her. Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie pie were all behind her. The elements were glowing, and they shot forward into Twilight. She watched at the rainbow hit Zakaz' helmet. It began to shine, and he released the magic. It shot forward, two rainbows flying in a double helix shape. They began to slowly spin around Phobos, strapping him in their power. With one final burst of light, the Alicorn was frozen into stone. Zakaz walked over to the teetering statue, and pushed it off the Roof. The group watched as it fell into an extremely deep hole at the bottom of the castle.

There was a pause, as every single head in Canterlot looked up at the seven ponies. Then they all began to cheer, whistling and shouting. Zakaz shone with pride, welcoming the appreciation. There was a fizzing sound next to them, as Princess Celestia appeared.

"Twilight Sparkle. Thank you. You're actions today have saved the kingdom. You and your friends have once again proved the strength of your friendship." She said. She turned to Zakaz.

"Zakaz Faron. The entire of Equestria must thank you. Despite your lack of knowledge from the start, you have continually helped the elements of Harmony. You solved the riddles and pieced together the story. Without your help, I doubt we would be here today. You have proven yourself worthy of wielding the Element of Courage, and a hero. In recognition of your actions, we can grant you one wish, as long as it's within our power." She said. Twilight smiled at Zakaz, and nudged him.

The unicorn thought for a few seconds, then answered.

"I wish to be the guardian of the Elements of Harmony. I want to protect Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie pie and applejack. Oh, and could you possibly send Trixie Lulamoon a new hat?" He said, with a smile. Celestia nodded.

"It shall be done. For now, we must get to work restoring Canterlot."

A little later, Twilight finally managed to get hold of Zakaz. She dragged him to the library, where the others had gathered. They cheered for Zakaz as he walked in. He took of the helmet and placed it on a table.

"Thanks, guys." He said.

"What are you thanking us for? We should be thanking you!"

"Thanks for letting me come with you on your adventure." He continued. He turned his head slightly.

"But's there's something that still bothers me. We never found out how the Seramon were connected to all this."

"Yeah, it is weird. Perhaps we'll never know." Twilight said, with a grin.

"For now, let's celebrate!" Pinkie shouted!

Meanwhile, in a tree near the window, stood a shadowy figure. It watched the group, its body covered in a dark cloak. It stayed for a few more moments, then slipped away into the shadows, leaving behind nothing but a rustling of leaves.

The end?

**And there we have it. The Final chapter of the story. I hope you guys have had much fun reading it as I have writing it. Remember to rate and review, favourite and follow if you want. I've been Xword, Peace out!**


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